Abstract

EVALUATION OF SERUM CHROMIUM, COPPER AND LEAD LEVEL AMONG AUTISTIC PATIENTS

Enas Abu Obeida Elkhidir, Suhair A. Ahmed, Amar Mohamed Ismail*

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that nutrients and heavy metals increase ROS and thus could lead to neurological defects in autistic patients. Aim of the study was to evaluate serum chromium, copper and lead level among autistic patients. This was a cross-sectional study included 160 subjects, 80 medically assessed and diagnosed as autistic patients, 80 healthy apparent as control group. Serum chromium, copper and lead were measured by using atomic absorption spectroscopy 210-VGP and BMI was estimated. The ratio of autistic male to female is 4:1 fold, independent analyses showed significant decrease in mean chromium and copper level p-value (0.000 and 0.048) respectively, while significant increase in mean lead concentration p-value 0.000 was observed in autistic patients versus control group. Person's correlation analysis analyses showed that serum copper negatively associated with lead and positively correlated with chromium whereas no correlation noted with other parameters. This study concludes chromium and copper are lower in autistic patients while lead is higher, which may lead to increase ROS and thus neurological damage in autistic patients.

Keywords: Cr, Cu, Lead and Autism.